Clients often approach me for coaching because they cannot find remote jobs within their field of expertise or industry.

Indeed, some countries are further behind than others when it comes to remote working. It is likely to find yourself in a situation where you cannot find a Remote job, despite the majority of your work being completed online.

In this article, we look at what to do when you can’t find a remote job.

Do not rule out remote working

Firstly, do not assume because remote job boards do not have opportunities for your field of experience, you cannot work from home. 

Spend time on remote job boards like weworkremotely.com, remoteok.io and remote.co over a couple of weeks, rather than making assumptions from one search. Bear in mind, some companies have unusual job titles, so, quickly read through listings on any jobs that appear to be what you are looking for. 

Identify companies you would like to work for

Take the time to compile a list of companies you would love to work for. Search for a careers page, many only advertise jobs on the website. Follow the companies on social media because it’s likely they will promote any opportunities there.  

Use tools like LinkedIn to find HR/Recruiters within the company and start to build a relationship with these people. Comment on their posts, engage with the content and reach out to find any remote opportunities.

Email companies with your resume. Keep the email brief – tell them how you can help their business and why you would like to work for them. 

Be an action taker and put yourself out there. 

Ask your network for recommendations

Using your network to ask if they’re aware of any remote job opportunities is powerful. 3 out of the 4 Remote jobs I was hired for, came from people within my network. Reach out to family and friends on Facebook. Tell them you are looking for work.  You will be surprised what doors this opens. 

Hopefully, you have built a network on LinkedIn or Facebook groups. Reach out to those communities and contacts. Have a chat with ex-colleagues from previous employment and ask if they are, aware of any remote job opportunities. 

Spend time learning new skills

While you are waiting for opportunities to appear, it’s a good time to look at your current skill set and see areas where you can improve. Sign up for an online course, search for videos on YouTube and make yourself more employable. 

Create your remote job profile. This is an exercise my clients go through when starting my coaching programme. It’s an opportunity to look at what Remote jobs best suit your skills and also highlight companies you are best suited to. 

Think about taking on some volunteer work to learn new or improve skills, within the field you are looking to get into. 

Showcast your skills online

Increase your chances of getting hired into remote work by showcasing your skills online. This is where you can stand out amongst your competition. Are you a Front End Engineer? Create code examples on Github. Are you a graphic designer? Add your portfolio on sites like Behance. 

It’s time to get creative and think about how you can showcase your skills online. 

Read this list of remote work tools and spend time learning how they function. All of the tools are used by companies who have a remote workforce. Including them on your resume will increase your chances of getting an interview. 

Think about a change of career

You might have ten years of experience as a translator, but it does not necessarily mean you have to find a remote job in this field. Spend time looking at what other skills, experience and passions that could suit another role. 

Do you have any hobbies or interests that could become a remote job? 

In my opinion, having a remote job you are passionate about makes life easier. You will feel more motivated to get work done and let’s be honest, time goes much quicker when you enjoy working. 

Hopefully, this has helped you figure out what to do when you can’t find a remote job. Next, Check out this article about creative ways to find remote jobs.